A large new bridge has successfully been installed in Dartford, causing traffic chaos, and a time-lapse video showing how the bridge was installed has been released by Highways England.
A new flyover has been installed at the Bean Junction as part of a huge infrastructure project which will see improvements made to the junction between Dartford and Gravesend.
The works required the A2 and Bean Lane Bridge to close for the weekend, prompting a travel warning, and Highways England say the interesting time-lapse video helps demonstrate why this was necessary.
Highways England added: "We'd like to thank all our customers and the local community for their patience and cooperation during the closure."
Costing £122 million, the project will see workers make the roundabout to the north of the A2 at Bean junction "significant bigger" and controlled by traffic lights", whilst the roundabout to the south of the A2 will also be made bigger.
There will be a new bridge over the A2 to provide extra capacity, located to the east of the existing Bean Lane bridge. This existing bridge will then be used for northbound traffic, and a new slip road constructed onto the A2 for eastbound traffic.
For Ebbsfleet junction the proposals will broadly follow the existing road layout with enlarged roundabouts controlled by traffic lights. The road between the roundabouts will be widened to a dual carriageway. The slip roads from the A2 will be retained and the slip roads to the A2 widened.
The overhaul of the junction is planned due to increasing numbers of homes being built in the area over the coming years with 15,000 in the pipeline for Ebbsfleet Garden City.
A footpath along the A2260 northbound at Ebbsfleet will also be closed for around six hours on Friday, August 27, to allow essential work to take place, with a shuttle bus service in place for those who normally use the footpath.
Highways England say following closures will be in place overnight, between 8pm and 6am:
Tuesday 31 August for four nights
- A2 coastbound carriageway between the slip roads at Bean
- A2 London-bound carriageway from Ebbsfleet to the M25
- A2260 southbound at Ebbsfleet (from the B259 roundabout)
- A2 Ebbsfleet coastbound entry slip road
Saturday 4 September
- A2 coastbound carriageway between the slip roads at Bean
- A2 London-bound carriageway from Ebbsfleet to the M25
Monday 6 September
- A2 coastbound carriageway between the slip roads at Bean
- A2 London-bound carriageway from Ebbsfleet to the M25
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